


How Ron Became Good at Chess

by accio0greatness



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Kid!Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-29
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-22 20:56:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/614244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/accio0greatness/pseuds/accio0greatness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy doesn't want his babiest brother to be scared.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Ron Became Good at Chess

“Percy?” He feigns sleep, until pudgy fingers pry at his eyelids. “You ‘wake?”

“Yes.” He stretches, yawns, grabs glasses from the nightstand. “Hello, Ronald.”

His brother stares at him, big eyes luminous in the moonlight, looking like the world will end if Percy denies the request he knows is coming. Because, of course, this is why he is needed; to fulfill requirements of those he deems Important, like Mother and Father and Auntie Muriel, even though he doesn’t really like her. Right now, his four-year-old brother clutching at Kenny, the stuffed sheep who serves as replacement for the damned spider-bear, tear tracks on his chubby cheeks, is Very Important.

“They’re in my room, Percy…”

“Well then, we’re just going to have to get them to leave then, right?” He reaches out for a sweat-damp hand, patting his hair into what he approves as a semi-respectable style, trying to dodge the more squeaky floorboards to the room Ronald and Ginevra share.

Ronald is shaking next to him, refusing to go into his own room. Percy sighs, pinching at the bridge of his nose in the way he knows Important People do when they’re frustrated.

“Stay here, Ron. I’m going to tell those spiders off.” At the word ‘spiders’ Ron cringes into his hands, and Percy promises himself that for as long as he can, he will make sure Ronald has no reason to be scared ever again.

Spinning a web above the small bed where his babiest brother dreams, is a spider, roughly the size of Ron’s hand, legs included. He captures her in his hands, heading to the window that is always left open, because it’s summer and the breeze cools off the babies of the family. Percy places her on the side of the house he can reach, wishing yet again that he knew anti-insect charms, that he had a wand to perform said charms, but it will be soon. Only three more years.

“It’s gone, Ronald.”

His brother pads in, still shaken, hair standing up, thumb in his mouth though he’ll deny it come morning. Percy pats the bed, and when Ron climbs in warily, he sits next to him and rubs at his eyes again.

It’s okay, Ron.” Percy pulls his brother’s fist from his eyes, because lord knows, this is not the time for an eyelash to begin poking Ron’s eyeball, resulting in both of them in the bathroom, Ronald sitting in the sink as Percy squints and tries to get him to stop fidgeting.

“”I’m just s-sorry!” Ron’s face screws up and Percy is confused, this is Ronald’s I’m-gonna-lose-it face and he doesn’t know why it’s directed at him, the spider is gone and there are no poky eyelashes—

“I’m sorry I woke you up again!” and a wet face is buried into his chest, Percy strokes the sticking up hair and wills little Ginevra to stay asleep. Ronald sobs, and Percy plans to talk to The Twins in the morning. Their stint with Ron’s beloved Barry was three months ago, yet he hadn’t had a full night’s sleep since.

Eventually the tears stop, and his brother babbles something along the lines of ‘Love you, Perce’ and then snuggles Kenny, dreaming again.

Percy goes back to his room, pinching the bridge of his nose and then yawns, placing his glasses back on the nightstand. He lies there, eyes taking in the blurred shape of his twin brothers, lumped together in Fred’s bed even though they know they’re supposed to start sleeping separately now. Percy had originally decided to tell their parents, but at the last minute decides to save the information.

“If you don’t get Bill to anti-spider charm Ronald and Ginevra’s room, I’ll tell Mother that you still don’t sleep in your own beds.” He whispers, but knows they can hear him. That is what they do in the dark, they listen and watch.

While he doesn’t know if his brothers will respond to the blackmail, it gives him a strange feeling inside, knowing that he’s helping his brother in a way that feels a little bit wrong, but a little bit right. He keeps hoping that the spiders don’t come back tonight, he was planning on teaching Ronald some chess in the morning, before William and Charles decide they want to play.

Percy sees a star outside of his window, which he turns to, the summer air humid and cloying against his face. He smooths his hair down again. He decides to wish.

I wish that Ronald would be good at chess—He falls asleep with the rest of his wish unspoken.

And not afraid of spiders.


End file.
